Nonrigid barge



Jan. '1, 19466 W. E. SCOTT NONRIGID BARGE Filed Jan. 4; 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WILLIAM EDM/STO/V $0077 INVENTOR ATTORNEY W. E. SCOTT NONRIGID BARGE Jan. 1, 1946.

Filed Jan. 4, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a\\| Jim INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1, 1946 "UNI T ED PATEN "O.FF..-I CE iN'ON'RIGID B'ATRGE Edmis'ton ScottfUnited statesmavy Application January 4, 1943, Serial No. 4311.251

IGranted under act of March 3,4883, 'as

amended April 30, 1928,; 37.0 0. G.='157 -7 Claims.

This invention contemplates the use mi monpropelling flexible barges :ior transporting fluids or other material by water.

The principle involved :in the design of these barges is the utilization of the lower spscifi'c gravity of the materials to be transported 5825 compared with water to obtain the necessary buoyancy to float the loaded barges. Theubu'oyancy of these barges may FbB modified :so that they :can be loaded to the. point where theupper surface or deck would be awa'sh, zor nearly so without danger to the barges. This .featu-rezis important under wartime 'conditionsas it reduces their visibility, especially when viewed :from a vessel.

Materials that have a higher specific gravity than water may also be transported by these barges, {providing :a suih'cient amonntof air is injected into the cargo hold which .is airtight, or into separate .airtight chambers to attain the necessary degree of buoyancy. .Air injection valves are provided .for this purpose. In transporting solid materials it :may :be necessary to install supporting structures such as a deck and longitudinal and transverse bulkheads taprovide solid support for the materials being trans ported. .A barge for this type of service :may also require transverse carli'ng beams :and' watertight cargo hatches of a suitable size.

This type of barge may also :be used for storing liquids at desired locations, such as water, gasoline and oil, for fleet facilities, and when used in this manner they may be moored off shore at convenient points.

The objects, in general, are to construct barges of readily available cheap materials that will be adapted for hauling liquids and other materials in a. most eflicient manner by making them of flexible material, and providing means for floating them in an almost totally submerged condition when loaded, so as to avoid being readily perceived in transport from shipboard of enemy craft. By way of example, one preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes in form, construction and materials may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one possible arrangement of towing barges of the type herein disclosed.

Fig. 2 is a side view of one preferred form of the present invention showing a. non-rigid barge, the view being shortened by omitting some of the mid sections.

is a cross section of the barge showing one ofthe perforated surge bodies that maybe used at intervals along the length or the barge.

Fig.4 -is-a section on an -enlargedscale "of one of the manhole rings and-covers.

Fig. *5 is a composite top and bottom plan view, s'hor tened lilre'Fig, 2 by bm'itting some of the mid sections.

Barges ofthis type may be towed singly 'or in groups; as illustrated 'in Fig. 1. 'orthey may be assembled in any mombin'ation as desired.

barges-may be' made of stri s of mate-- rial I running the length or the barge, out and tailored at th eir ends to form "the rounded forwardmndsternzsectionsbf the barge.

The barges are provided "with an :air chamber 2 :at the "forward :or towing end that may :be charged with suificient air through the air valve -3 to retain the rem-or theair chaniber for cham- :bersiunder wave :action. This buoyancy chamber would also tend to prevent idipping Yor nosing un'der ioif the barge under rough weather condi- Thez-interior compartment 1 an ofitheforward buoyancy chamber 2 may :be utilized ibr :cargo space and may be provided with transverse water tight bulkheads '5 which may for may not-be perforated. If ipertorated they "would merely act as surge :bafil'es and fior reinforcing braces :for the envelope.

.Iihe materials used in the construction of this barge may be fabric or other material coated on both sides with a selected plastic material or may be of plastic material without reinforcement.

' They may also be made of any other materials of such nature as to provide the necessary air or fluid tightness. lhe plastics used may be sealable by heat application, cementing, or both, so as to maintain air and fluid tightness, and the outer coating should be insoluble in water and mild acid action, while the interior coating should be insoluble in the liquids to be transported.

The sectional view in Fig. 3 shows one form of perforated surge baflle 5 having cut-out portions at 6. Any desired number and type of bulkheads or baffles may be used along the length of the barge depending on its use and length. The bulkhead at the rear of the air chamber 2 may be shaped as shown in Figs. 2 and 5; the

line of the bottom seam of this bulkhead being shown at 2| in the lower portion of Fig. 5 and its top seam at 22 in the upper half of Fig. 5; the rear outline of this chamber is indicated by 23 in Fig. 5. The hull or envelope of the barge may rigid plastic or other material.

be reinforced b the application of strips 1 and ribs 1' of heavily reinforced material that is sealed or cemented onto the outer surface of the hull to offset stresses or abrasion that might be encountered under heavy towing conditions. The extremities of these reinforcing ribs and strips may be extended so as to form points of attachments or lugs for'towing 8,8 or lashing 9, 9' as desired. The reinforcing ribs and strips may be reinforced with wire, wire netting or other materials for greater strength.

The upper surface or deck of the barge may be provided with manholes l0, air valves 3, vents ll, inlet pipe I2, and radio controlled lights H or other means for navigational purposes. I5 is a reinforced doubling for the manhole mounting, and I6 is a manhole ring which may be made of The manhole cover ll may be of reinforced rigid plastic or other material and having a flexible watertight gasket l8; I9 are stud bolts for fastening the manhole covers. 20 is a split metal ring attached to the underside of the hull andhaving the necessary threaded holes to take the stud bolts to insure air and fluid tightness.

Some of the special features of the above construction of barges to be noted are simplicity of design, speed in construction, availability of materials less essential to the War effort and usability for shallow water transportation, such as rivers, canals or lagoons. The resistance to passage through water in this design of vessel is believed to be considerably reduced by reason of. the flexible hull formed, which, when loaded with a liquid conforms to a nearly natural streamlined cross-section throughout the greater part of the length of the vessel. The shape of the crosssection varies according to the water pressure at each point of draft and is dependent on the differential and specific gravity of the fluid being transported and the supporting fluid.

This invention may be used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What I claim is:

1. A non-rigid barge having longitudinal rein forcing strips on its surface to offset stresses or abrasion in use one of said strips being around the lateral periphery of the barge, lashing lugs spaced along the sides of the barge, reinforced ribs running diagonally from the top and bottom of the barge to said lugs and means for causing the barge to be almost entirely submerged when loaded.

2. A non-rigid barge comprising a water-tight hull of non-rigid material, having longitudinal reinforcing members which are extended at points near the forward and stem ends to form towing plates and diagonal reinforcing members extending at other points along the sides to form lashing lugs.

3. A barge comprising a water-tight envelope of reinforced plastic or fabric material, said material being heavily reinforced by strips and ribs around said envelope extending at points near the ends of the envelope to form towing plates and at points at the sides thereof to form lashing lugs, and means for causing the barge to be almost entirely submerged when loaded and an air chamber in the forward end of envelope for retaining the form of the forward end of the barge under wave action.

4. A barge comprising a water-tight non-rigid envelope, the upper surface or deck having one or more'manholes, an air valve for injecting air thereinto of sufiicient quantity to just float the envelop when loaded, said envelope having an air compartment in its forward end separated by a water-tight bulkhead from the rest of the space. and means for filling it with sufficient air to retain the form of the forward end of the barge under wave action.

5. A streamlined semi-rigid barge comprising an air-tight hull of non-rigid material having supporting structures of rigid. material.

6. A streamlined barge comprising an air-tight hull of non-rigid material having supporting structures of rigid material, an air chamber in the forward end of the hull to furnish buoyancy and to assist the supporting structure in maintaining the streamlined shape of the barge.

' 7. A streamlined barge comprising an air-tight ull of non-rigid material having supporting structures of rigid material, an air chamber in the forward end of the hull and additional air chambers along the sides of the hull to furnish buoyancy and to assist the supporting structure in maintaining the streamlined shape of the barge.

WILLIAM EDMISTON SCO'I'I. 

